Face Transplant: Medical, Ethical and Soc al perspectives Dr.Sanjay Saraf Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery NMC Specialty Hospital Dubai, UAE Egyptian Dermatology Online Journal 3 (1): 6, June, 2007 * Department of Plastic an Cosmetic Surgery NMC Specialty Hospital Dubai, DAE Sir, Massive facial disfigurement following burns, vitriolage, accidents and malignant spreading facial skin tumors can have devastati g effect on one's life. The various reconstructive options becomes an endless series of painful operations and rarely results in satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes. Th recent success of Facial allograft transplant (FAT) has drawn wide public and peer attention. This has been consid red as another step in the re constr uctive ladder for pati ents with extr eme faci al di sf igur ement who cannot be helped by traditional reconstr uc tive surgery. [l ] Though fr om procedural point of view, the anatomical knowle dge and micro-surgical skills are now well es ta blished, however, there are many medical, ethical, social an d ps ychological concerns which ne ed to be addressed. Beyond doubt, the facial skin is unique in its characteristic and any attempt of reconstruction with similar skin is definitely a favored option for facial resurfacing as it is expected to provide a better match in the form oftexture, color, pliability and redraping rather tha attemp ed tissue transfer elsewhere from patient's body.[~] Though the transplant may look clinically successful, long term results of transplanted facial tissue
